A 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck several regions of Pakistan, including parts of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and the federal capital, Islamabad, on Tuesday. The tremors were recorded at 12:28pm Pakistan Standard Time (PST) by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). The epicenter of the quake was near Dera Ghazi Khan in southwestern Punjab, at a depth of 10 kilometers.
According to the PMD, the earthquake measured 5.7 on the Richter scale. However, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported it as a 5.4 magnitude event. The quake’s impact extended beyond Pakistan, affecting parts of India and Afghanistan as well.
In Punjab, cities such as Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, and Islamabad felt the tremors. Other affected areas included Mianwali, Bhakkar, Kamalia, Khanewal, and various towns across the province. In KP, the quake was felt in Peshawar, Swat, North Waziristan, DI Khan, Lakki Marwat, Buner, Shangla, and Chitral, among others.
This earthquake follows a series of seismic activities in the region. On August 29, a 5.4 magnitude quake jolted Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and parts of KP. Earlier, a 4.7 magnitude earthquake hit these areas in June. Karachi also experienced seismic activity with a 3.2 magnitude quake in April and another minor quake in May.
Pakistan’s geographical location on the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates makes it prone to earthquakes. The ongoing collision of the Indian plate with the Eurasian plate contributes to the seismic activity in South Asia.
